1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fender liner for the top of a dual rear wheel fender.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Pickups, vans and suburbans are sometimes outfitted with dual rear wheels (i.e., dualies) for the purpose of increasing traction off road, increasing payload and reducing sway. Dualies, even when factory installed, are attachments or add-ons rather than being integrated into the design of the rest of the vehicle's body. Dualie fenders are usually fabricated of epoxy-fiberglass. The standard fenders are removed, the wheel wells enlarged and the dualie fenders attached and painted to match.
Dual rear wheels extend out past the sides of the truck body and pick up dirt, gravel and rocks, some of which is flung outwardly and rearwardly, but a large part of it, if not most of it, is flung upward against the flat underside of the dualie fender above the wheels. The material striking the top of the fender then drops back down, some of which strikes the upper portion of the rotating wheel and is flung another time against the top of the dualie fender. The impact of the flung material is often sufficient to cause a cracking or "star" pattern to appear in the painted surface on the top of the fender, marring the appearance of the fender, and being cause for a new, and expensive, paint job to be applied.
The fender liners of the present invention are described with respect to a Ford truck. Ford offers front and rear vertical splash shields for attachment from the top of the fender just in front of and behind the rear wheels. While minimizing road splash, the shields offer no protection from star cracking along the top of the fender. Fender liners for the entire fender have also been proposed but they have not been a marketing success because of cost, installation difficulties and other considerations. It has not been recognized that it is the top, not the front and rear of the fender in need of protection, and that a shield over the entire inside of the fender is unnecessary.